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Debuxo de Gaboon viper
N.º 0321 de 1 402

Gaboon viper

Bitis gabonica
Sobre o nome: The name 'Gaboon' comes from Gabon, a name first given by the Portuguese to an estuary on which the town of Libreville was built.1
Pode matarPode matarte sen tratamento. Se te morde, busca axuda rápido.
Víboras e outras serpes da familia MordeCome: Carne
Perigo para as persoas: Moi perigosoPode matar a unha persoa que non reciba tratamento.

The Gaboon viper is a large, heavy snake with a striking pattern of pale and dark markings. It lives in the rainforests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of the most venomous snakes in the world, so knowing what it looks like matters.1

Vive en
Rainforests and savannas of sub-Saharan Africa, from Guinea and Ghana east to Kenya and northeast KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa1
África
Inicio
It is usually found in rainforests and nearby woodlands, mainly at low altitudes. It is also common in farmland near forests, such as cacao and coffee plantations, and it is often found on roads at night.1
Lonxitude
1,2 m a 1,8 m (4,1 ft a 5,7 ft)1
Peso
8,5 kg a 11 kg (19 lb a 25 lb)1
Velocidade máxima
uns 4 km/h (2,5 mph)
En terra, estimación aproximada
Que come?
It hunts mainly by ambush, waiting motionless for prey to pass. It eats amphibians, mammals and birds, and it is able to take prey as large as fully grown rabbits. Once it strikes, it holds on to its prey with its fangs rather than letting go.1
De verdade!Foto de Gaboon viper
Gaboon viper. Foto: Nick Schaller. CC BY 4.0, iNaturalist.

Como recoñecelo

  • A large, heavy, stout body, with a large triangular head and a neck much narrower than the head1
  • A series of pale, rectangular blotches down the centre of the back, with dark hourglass markings edged in yellow1
  • A white or cream head with a fine dark central line and a dark blue-black triangle behind and below each eye1
  • Small raised 'horns' between the nostrils, which are tiny in this species1
  • Its camouflage works well among dead leaves under trees, so it can be hard to see1

Adoita confundirse con: The Congolese giant toad (Sclerophrys channingi) may be a mimic of this snake. Its head appears to resemble the viper's head, while its body is darker.1

Poder da pezoña

Morde

A pezoña sae polos seus cairos ou dentes cando morde.

Que fai a súa pezoña?

The venom is cytotoxic, which means it damages cells, and cardiotoxic, which means it harms the heart. Each bite can deliver a large amount of venom, because the snake does not release its grip after biting.1

Que perigoso é para as persoas?

Perigo para as persoas: Moi perigosoPode matar a unha persoa que non reciba tratamento.

Bites are extremely rare, because the snake is seldom aggressive and lives mostly in rainforest areas. Most bites happen when people accidentally step on it. Even an average bite from an average-sized snake is potentially fatal.1

Boas novas: os médicos teñen un medicamento (antiveleno) ou un tratamento para isto.1

Que fai cando ten medo?

When threatened it hisses loudly in a deep, steady rhythm and flattens its head slightly with each breath. It is unlikely to strike unless it is severely provoked.1

Se morde

  • Any bite should be treated as a serious medical emergency. Antivenom should be given as soon as possible to save the limb or the person's life.1
  • Mantén a persoa quieta e tranquila, mantén o membro mordido á altura do corazón, quítalle aneis e cousas apertadas e vai rápido a un hospital.

Chama sempre primeiro ao teu número de emerxencias (112, 000, 911). Isto son consellos xerais de primeiros auxilios, non consello médico. Primeiros auxilios básicos

Mantente a salvo

  • Nunca toques, collas nin molestes un animal salvaxe, aínda que sexa pequeno e aínda que pareza durmido ou morto.
  • Déixalle espazo. Se atopas un, mantén a calma, recúa amodo e déixao ir polo seu camiño.
  • Se un te morde: mantén a calma, non te movas, chama ao teu número de emerxencias (112, 000, 911) ou vai rápido a un hospital. Lembra como era, unha foto axuda.

Non vai a por ti. Usa a súa pezoña para cazar comida ou para defenderse, e prefire con moito agocharse. Máis sobre como estar a salvo

En que lugar do mundo?

ÁfricaAsiaEuropaAmérica do NorteAmérica do SurAustralia e Oceanía

Que tamaño ten?

Canto mide?

Gaboon viper mide uns 1,8 m (5,7 ft)Un adulto uns 1,7 m (5,6 ft)A bicicleta dun adulto uns 1,8 m (5,9 ft)

Canto pesa?

pesa coma 3 gatos domésticos
mide coma 4 gatos domésticos do fociño á colamide coma 10 bananas postas en filapodería percorrer 100 metros en 90 segundos (o humano máis rápido precisa 9,6)

Que tamaño ten Gaboon viper comparado CONTIGO?

Só son contas no teu navegador. Non se garda nin se envía nada a ningures.

Que rápido é?

paga a pena sabelo

Datos

1

A 1.8 m specimen caught in 1973 weighed 11.3 kg with an empty stomach. It is the heaviest venomous snake in Africa.1

2

Its eyes can move in unusual ways. If its head is turned 360°, one eye tilts up and the other tilts down.1

3

Although it is one of the fastest-striking snakes in the world, it usually tolerates handling and rarely bites or hisses.1

4

Unlike many African vipers, such as the puff adder, it does not release its grip after biting.1

5

Males fight by intertwining their necks and pushing. The winner pushes the other's head to the ground and raises his own head by 20–30 cm.1

Desmontamitos

Mito: Because it is calm and tolerant, it is safe to handle.

Verdade: Some writers have described it as so docile it can be handled as freely as a harmless snake. This is absolutely not recommended: it is one of the fastest-striking snakes, and bites by bad-tempered individuals do occur.1

Para expertos en pezoñas

Nome científico
Bitis gabonica
Grupo
Víboras e outras serpes da familia
Familia
Viperidae2
Orde
Squamata
Continentes
África
Crías
The young are born live, and a female can have 50 to 60 babies at one time.1
Perigo para as persoas
4 / 5: Moi perigoso3

De onde veñen os datos

  1. Gaboon viper (Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0))
  2. Bitis gabonica (iNaturalist): nomes e clasificación.
  3. Venom Wiki: o nivel de perigo, o tamaño típico e a velocidade estimada son nosos. Mira como os calculamos: Como valoramos o perigo.

Cada dato desta páxina ten un número que leva á súa fonte. Se nos equivocamos nalgo, sentímolo, somos fans dos animais, non unha revista científica. Dínolo en [email protected] e arranxarémolo.

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